What is Analytics?

Analytics is the sophisticated analysis and use of business data to enable fact-based decision making at every level of your organization. Analytics can drive superior performance – from customer management to the supply chain to product/service development to strategic planning. For top companies such as Marriott International, Harrah’s Entertainment, Capital One, Amazon.com, NetFlix and the Boston Red Sox, analytics creates a competitive advantage.

"Competing on Analytics"
Harvard Business Review article by Thomas H. Davenport

This Harvard Business Review article by Thomas H. Davenport explores how enterprise analytics has emerged as the newest form of competitive differentiation. The article, "Competing on Analytics" was the best-selling Harvard Business Review magazine reprint of 2006. Building on Davenport's original research study, this article is based on examining the use of analytics at more than 50 leading companies, including Harrah's Entertainment Inc., Wal-Mart, Procter & Gamble, Capital One and Amazon.com, to name a few.

Download Harvard Business Review article. (PDF: 281KB)

The Business Analytics Concours
Be a part of the ongoing research.

Join Babson Professor Tom Davenport and nGenera Corporation, along with senior executives from leading companies, as the research on using business analytics as a competitive differentiator continues.

The Business Analytics Concours is an ongoing research program dedicated to enabling major corporations to improve business performance by expanding and focusing their analytic capabilities. Members of this growing executive team learn firsthand from analytic competitors in other industries and gain access to recent research from Davenport and other experts. Join now to help set the research agenda and define the ambitions and scope of upcoming projects. For more information, contact nGenera Corporation.

Download the Business Analytics Concours. (PDF: 166KB)

Business Analytics:
Six Questions to Ask About Information and Competition

This edition of the Boardroom Imperative series from nGenera Corporation is a concise executive guide to business analytics: key business applications and payoffs, staff and technology requirements, and the roles senior executives must play to realize the performance and competitive potential of analytics. It also highlights a series of pragmatic questions to ask about how your organization delineates its competitive edge, and how well it uses information at hand to meet business objectives and innovate in the marketplace. Developed in conjunction with Thomas H. Davenport, this is an essential introduction and guide to business analytics for executive teams and board members.

Download Business Analytics: Six Questions to Ask About Information and Competition.
(PDF: 1.87MB)

"Implementation of Business Intelligence and Performance Management Tools and Solutions"
Report by ComputerWorld Research

This research report assesses issues surrounding BI and performance management implementation. Results indicate that today’s technology purchasers demand comprehensive and integrated BI and performance management solutions that can overcome challenges related to integrating data from multiple sources and data quality.     

Key findings include the importance of analytics relative to those IT respondents focused primarily on BI initiatives versus those focused primarily on performance management initiatives. The top-ranked challenge for both types of respondents is the struggle with disparate systems trying to work in concert with new tools and solutions. 

Download Research Report (PDF: 172KB)

"Better Information for Winning Decisions";  
Article by Stan Gibson

The article provides an overview of current issues organizations face as they try to manage rapidly increasing volumes and various kinds of corporate data, including unstructured data. It explains the value of a coherent strategy provided by a Business Intelligence Competency Center.

Download Article (PDF: 439KB)

Speeding the Time to Intelligence
ComputerWorld Technology Briefing

This briefing examines how a Business Intelligence Competency Center and the use of performance management technology can allow organizations to accurately deliver time-sensitive information to their workers.

Download Briefing (PDF: 489KB)

*PDF: Requires Adobe Reader.